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Peter in Prison

Acts 12:5

The world is increasingly hostile to Christian beliefs. With all the difficulties facing the church today, how will it withstand the forces against it? In this sermon on Acts 12:5, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones draws from the biblical account of Peter’s miraculous release from prison and encourages believers to unite together in prayer in order to see God’s work in the world and His church. “A characteristic of the church we must never forget,” Dr Lloyd-Jones says, “is that we are one.” When Peter was put in jail, the entire church came together to pray for him. If the Christian has become discouraged with prayers because they do not see them being answered, they are not alone. The early church endured similar tests of faith. Although they did not recognize it at the time, God was working behind the scenes to answer their prayers for Peter and when they were told by their servant girl that he had been miraculously released and was at the front door, they did not believe her. Listen as Dr Lloyd-Jones helps the listener understand why prayer in the community of a church is so important, and how they can trust God when they don’t see Him acting.

Looking at the Waves

Matthew 14:22-23

“I’m a Christian, why am I depressed?” Too often, Christians believe that becoming a Christian eliminates all temptation toward despair and depression. While regeneration transforms the inner person, it doesn’t necessarily change personality or temperament. The Christian should not continue in depression, yet the Christian often does battle depression. Sanctification is not automatic––one must strive toward living a life of faith. In this sermon on Matthew 14:22–23 titled “Looking at the Waves,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the personality of Peter, a disciple of Jesus, and his unstable faith which leads to despair. Peter’s initial faith in Jesus led him onto the stormy waters. Yet something changed. Circumstances didn’t change; the waves were not new. What changed was Peter’s faith. Instead of focusing on Jesus, Peter focused on his circumstances. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this focus on circumstances leads to doubt, which leads to despair. While the circumstances of one’s life are enough to drive them to depression, the Christian has a savior in the midst of the storm. The Christian must not rely on past experiences of faith––they must practice faith now, as the waves crash around them.

A Stone of Stumbling

1 Peter 2:6-8

Why does the Apostle Peter tell us that Christ is a stumbling block? This is may seem like an odd statement, but in this sermon on 1 Peter 2:6–8, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains why it is important to understand. He says that Christ is a stumbling block because those that are said to be wise and powerful stumble over His message. The Pharisees who were said to be the righteous were shown to be hypocrites when Christ came. Those who trust in their own works stumble when they are told that nothing they can do will ever save them. Christ crushes our pride and self-trust in order that we might trust in Him alone. It is no different today than it was in the days of Jesus. Fallen people trust in their own wisdom, but Christ shows the wisdom of this world to be foolish and vain. It is only by trusting in Christ, the stone that the builders rejected, that anyone can be saved and made right with God.

Ignorance

Acts 3:17

Why is it that so many are not interested in Christ? Ignorance. Here in Acts 3:17, Peter confronts the crowd with the truth of their dire condition. They are ignorant of Christ and of His resurrection. In this sermon titled “Ignorance,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls the world to see its ignorance today. He identifies that the world is ignorant of their need for Christ, who Christ is, and the coming judgment. Humanity is ignorant because of the blindness of their hearts and minds. The crowd in Peter’s day rejected and hated Christ and refused to believe that He was the Messiah. The world today continues to reject Christ in this same way and are ignorant of who He is and what He has done. Peter called the crowd in Acts 3:17 to repent and be converted so that their sins may be blotted out. Dr. Lloyd-Jones does the same by calling all to repent. He calls all to see that they don’t have to live in ignorance.

Union with Christ

1 Peter 1:3-5

In Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s sermon on 1 Peter 1:3-5, he describes, “the great characteristic of the New Testament.” This being our response the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out how Peter “burst forth in Praise to Christ” when he relayed the gospel to his audience. But we must ask ourselves, do we have a similar response? Is there the same spirit within us that was in Peter? Well, to answer this question, Dr. Lloyd-Jones first defines what the gospel is. It is, simply put, the resurrection of Jesus Christ who, by rising from the dead, takes away the sins of the world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that by rising from the dead, Christ becomes our living hope who enables us to endure hardships that we go through in life. But how is the resurrection of Christ a living hope, and why should we celebrate it with such joy? Dr. Lloyd-Jones establishes that the resurrection of Christ is, in fact, a living hope because Christ died and rose again. He defeated sin and death and now is a living hope to all who believe in him. Our sinful selves were buried with Christ so that we can live as new people. However, this is not the final step to unification with Christ. No, we are only truly unified with Christ when we enter heaven. When we pass from this world into eternity, our physical body will be renewed as well so that the entire man will be renewed. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then finishes his sermon by asking the question, “Have we got this living hope?”

Two Views of Life

1 Peter 4:1-5

They are only two kinds of people in this world: those that live according to Christ and those that live according to the principle of sin. In this sermon on 1 Peter 4:1–5, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds the teachings of the Apostle Peter on the divide between the way of the world and the way of Christ. Because all are born in sin and depravity, they are, by nature, slaves to darkness and sin. They live a life that is for the passing pleasures of this world, not for what is eternal and godly. Those who have been saved by Jesus have been saved out of this world and are no longer slaves to immorality and sin. They live for Christ and not for themselves. These two ways of living correspond to two eternal destinies and for those who do not believe in the Gospel, there is only wrath and judgment. But for those that repent and believe upon Jesus, there is salvation and true peace. In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones speaks not only of humanity’s wretched condition, but also of God who gives grace freely to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

The Call of the Gospel

1 Peter 2:9-25

In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:9­–25 titled “The Call of the Gospel,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Peter explaining to his fellow Christians the importance of their position with God. They are not just anybody, but they are chosen and called by God to be His people forever. Dr. Lloyd-Jones expands upon what it means to be called by the gospel. How does a person know if God is calling him or her? Dr. Lloyd-Jones breaks down the differences in callings. There is the “general” call, which pastors do when they preach the word. But there is also the personal call of the gospel. This personal call, he says, occurs when the listener understands that the message is meant for him or her in particular. The listener might feel disturbed or uncomfortable with their present way of living. They might now feel as if they do not know what to do. They feel the burden and weight of their sin and are humbled by it. They realize that they are in need of a savior. Dr. Lloyd-Jones closes by offering to all who hear this great gift of peace, forgiveness, and everlasting life.

Power in Persecution

Acts 4:23-24

Christians all around the world face varying levels of persecution—some believers are murdered or physically harmed for their faith, while others are merely scoffed at by those who think Christianity is foolish. What can the Christian do to combat this? In this sermon on Acts 4:23–24 titled “Power in Persecution,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how the church can stand strong in the midst of trying times by pointing back to the early church and the examples of Peter and John. First, believers must not compromise their message. After being released from prison, Peter and John continued to preach the gospel even though they had been forbidden to on penalty of death. Second, they must go to God in prayer. It is so easy for Christians to become anxious about what they need to do, yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that Peter and John acknowledged that it was God’s problem to handle, not theirs. This brought immense peace because they were choosing to rest in God’s sovereignty by trusting His plan rather than becoming worried about the circumstances. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones unpacks how Christians today can stand strong for the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of persecution.

The Gospel and the Modern World

2 Peter 3:1-18

As the modern world jeers at the church’s declining numbers in the West, it also mocks the pronouncement that the future still belongs to God. Christians today might assume such feelings of alienation are a modern phenomenon. In this sermon on 2 Peter 3:1–18 titled “The Gospel and the Modern Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones attests that there is nothing new about the modern world mocking God’s plan. People may think this is only part of the modern world, but it is as old as the fall of humankind. Scoffers have always made grand pronouncements about the Christian message as foolish, wishful thinking. Why should Christians think the future belongs to God? Is the modern world correct? Is there any encouragement for the nervous Christian? Dr. Lloyd-Jones seeks to answer these pressing questions. While taking his beginning point from 2 Peter 3, Dr. Lloyd-Jones surveys the Bible as he argues that the future of every individual, of every nation, in the entire world, is in the hands of God. Interacting with philosophical concepts like God’s permissive will, Satan, the presence of evil in the world, as well as history and prophesy, Dr. Lloyd-Jones maintains that God is still exercising His lordship over the world. The coming Day of the Lord will be like a thief in the night, but for those who hold fast to God’s salvation it will be bright.

Obedience to the Truth

1 Peter 1:22

The gospel tells how people can be delivered through repentance. In this sermon on 1 Peter 1:22 titled “Obedience to the Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones appeals to the listener to obey God’s truth, for it is far greater than the law. To not repent is to disobey—this is sin. The essence of sin is a refusal to believe God. If a person does not submit to the gospel, its truth will confront them in eternity. All should obey this truth as it is the way of salvation. The work God wants His people to do is to believe in Him whom He sent. Do not resist the free gift of God in Jesus Christ—no one can fulfill the law by their own works but should submit themselves to His righteousness. The mystery of the gospel is profound, but it must be believed. God justifies the ungodly, not the righteous. Everyone should believe this message now and come exactly as they are: “All the fitness He requires is to feel your need of Him.”

Be Not Confounded

1 Peter 2:6

Where can one find hope? In a life that is often filled with turmoil and conflict, there is no more important question. In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:6 titled “Be Not Confounded,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the great biblical truth that Jesus Christ is the hope. All those that trust in Him will never be confounded or put to shame. This is because in Christ they find an otherworldly hope, a hope that is greater than all the suffering and pain in this world. Jesus is better than the hopes that the world offers, whether it is modern science and medicine, or modern philosophy and politics. The hopes of this world are just like the world: sinful and passing away. But the gospel gives hope even when this world is full of sin and rejects Christ, for the hope of the gospel is the redemption of the body and the forgiveness of sins for all who believe. Where is one’s hope? This sermon asks this vital question, but more importantly, it tells of the greatest hope in this world, Jesus Christ.

The Battle for the Mind

1 Peter 1:13

Why does the Bible encourage sober-mindedness? Many are surprised that the Christian faith involves the mind at all, because they think that religion is inherently irrational. But in this sermon on the battle for the mind from 1 Peter 1:13, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how God calls Christians to use their minds to know Him. Christians are called to purposely think about God and the world as they are in a battle for the mind. This is a different message than what the world often tells people in an irrational age of celebrity worship and cults of personality. The world can give no account for the human mind, because Scripture tells that all are slaves to sin and their minds are wholly darkened. The Christian can only think about and understand the world when they receive the grace of God and come to new life in Christ. This sermon issues the call to leave behind sin and turn to Jesus who alone can save and renew a relationship with God.

The Facts of Christmas

2 Peter 1:12-16

There is a tendency, perhaps even an insistence upon, turning the Christmas message into an entirely different message than its original meaning. The contemporary Western culture is constantly looking for ways to undermine the truth about Jesus of Nazareth. One way is found in the sophisticated attempt to undermine the supernatural incarnation of Christ. In other words, modern humanity cannot believe in miracles like the virgin birth and God taking on human flesh, so the world encourages the dismissal of this and instead focuses on the Christmas holiday as a great principle to humanity. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes this tendency head-on in this Christmas sermon on 2 Peter 1:12-16. There is much at stake, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, because it is only in the facts of the incarnation – the literal action of God sending His Son into the world – that humanity begins to see the love of God. Listen to this timely Christmas preaching message on the literal fact that the Son of God came to the world to rescue sinners.

A New Birth

1 Peter 2:2

What makes a Christian? If one listens to what God has to say in His Word, they will see that it is not a result of anything that humanity does or can do. Christians are those that are born again through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as no one contributes to their natural birth, neither do they contribute anything to their supernatural birth. This affects a profound change in those that are born again; it wholly reorients their life, desires, and wills. Christians now desire to live a life that is marked by obedience to God and love of fellow people. Salvation, then, is a result of God’s grace apart from anything one can do. This sermon tells of the only hope in this life: the gospel. There is nothing that anyone can do to save themselves, but God has acted in His grace to redeem sinners and bring them to a true knowledge of Him. In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:2 titled “A New Birth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims the only true and lasting message of hope in this world, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Born of Incorruptible Seed

1 Peter 1:23

What makes the Christian different from every other person? Is it a choice to become moral? Is it making good decisions? In this sermon from 1 Peter 1:23, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that what makes the Christian different from everyone else is nothing that they have done, but it is what God has done. This is the new birth. Christians are naturally like every other human, born with a sinful nature. But God by His grace causes Christians to be born again. This new birth comes from above and is not something anyone brings about by themselves. It is wholly of grace. How is a person changed by this new birth? The new birth grants a new nature that seeks what is good, true, and godly. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, it allows them to fight against sin but most importantly of all, it makes him right before God. This is the only way a sinner can be saved. Furthermore, Christians can know and have assurance that they are born again. They can live and die knowing that they are inheritors of eternal life.

What is Man?

1 Peter 2:9-10

People are not highly-developed animals. Neither are they enlightened products of evolution. In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:9–10 titled “What is Man?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how God made humanity. In the Bible, humanity is made in the image of God, naturally upright. Yet they chose to sin, and are now condemned as a slave to sin and immorality. This is why the world is filled with so much wickedness; this is why there is war and suffering. It all goes back to the sinful nature of humankind. What hope is there for sinful humanity? The answer is found in God’s free gift of salvation. God sent His Son to die in the place of sinners, for all those that believe in Jesus Christ. God sent Jesus into the world because He loved the world, not because of anything in it. The gospel calls all to forsake their sinful ways and flee from darkness. For it is only the gospel that gives people truth concerning themselves, the world, and God. God commands all to flee from themselves and come to the light of Jesus Christ.

Faith; the Gift of Grace

2 Peter 1:1

In this sermon on 2 Peter 1:1 titled “Faith: The Gift of Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encourages his people with what they already know—what they are in Christ, what they have, and what awaits them in the future. What is it that makes Christians separate from the world? It is their precious faith. If this concept seems foreign to the listener, perhaps they need to be reminded of the old, old story and realize how they obtained this precious faith: it wasn’t won or achieved, but given as a gift of grace by God through the righteousness and blood of Jesus Christ the Son. Listeners are encouraged to realize the rarity of this gift of faith and that they are among a specific people, a great company—including the apostles, the martyrs, the fathers of the faith, the confessors, the reformers. They have the same faith as these people. Lastly, realize what this precious faith does for the Christian—the wealth of the universe cannot get rid of sins, but faith does. With this precious faith, the Christian is free from the fear of death, able to pass from death to eternal life.

The Christian Gospel

1 Peter 1:10-12

What changes when someone is saved? Is Christianity just a political movement that lobbies for a better world, or imposes a strict code of conduct? In this sermon on 1 Peter 1:10–12 titled “The Christian Gospel,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about how there are many who may hold these views, but they are mistaken. Christianity is not about morality or politics, but it is about hope in Christ and salvation in the gospel found in God’s word. God has chosen to reveal Himself to sinful people through the prophets, apostles, and Scripture. The whole message of salvation is contained in this truth and given to God’s people so that they may proclaim it to the world. This gospel is the message that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, for He alone has died so that all would be saved. This gift of salvation is given through faith as a result of God’s grace. No one can ever work to obtain it. All are born blind in sin until the grace of God opens their eyes to see the glory of Jesus Christ.

The Promises of God

2 Peter 1:4

All of Scripture is about the promises of God. What does this mean? In this sermon on 2 Peter 1:4 titled “The Promises of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great truth of God’s promises given to His people. It is these divine promises from Genesis to Revelation wherein God tells that He will grant peace and blessings. How does God give Christians all these things? The answer is in the person of Christ Jesus. It is Jesus that gives all peace and happiness because it is He who saves from all sin. Sadly, many have mistaken the law of God for the promise itself, for the law looks forward to Jesus, but it is not the promise. The law brings condemnation on all because they are sinners. Jesus, however, delivers His people from sin and fulfills the entire law for them. The only question to ask is, “do you hope in the promise of God, namely Jesus Christ?” Those who die apart from Christ will never know the peace of God. There is no more pressing matter than belief in the great Savior, Jesus Christ.

What is Christianity About?

Acts 2:32

The message that the apostle Peter preached on the day of Pentecost was the message of salvation in Jesus Christ, the crucified Messiah. He did not try to preach what he thought his audience wanted to hear, but he proclaimed Christ Jesus as Savior who died for the sins of the world. In this sermon on Acts 2:32 titled “What is Christianity About?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how Peter, like the other apostles, preached the need of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus as the only way of salvation and reconciliation with God. The message was authenticated by the facts of the resurrection. The very same Jesus who rose from the dead commissioned the disciples to take the gospel to every corner of the earth. This is the message that all are faced with because to reject it is to reject God’s only Son and the only Savior of the world. To reject this message is to be damned forever under the wrath of God. This is why it is so necessary to believe and be saved from the great day of God’s wrath. It is this message that is the only hope for sinners, and that is why it is so important that the church take the gospel to all people.